Pakistan: Residents in Dera Ghazi Khan report 'loud explosion', officials suspect 'sonic boom'

Residents of the Pakistani province of Punjab on Friday afternoon (Oct 6) reported a loud explosion which triggered panic while some, according to media reports, said that the blast was heard from 30 to 50 kilometres away in the neighbouring Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, the district administration dismissed the report of it being a blast and said it may have been a “sonic boom”.

What happened?

The noise triggered panic among residents of the Pakistani city of Dera Ghazi Khan while some videos circulating on social media showed the police personnel and emergency services including a fire brigade rushing to the site and some civilians following them on their motorbikes.

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According to the reports, Dera Ghazi Khan is also home to Pakistan’s atomic energy department which is controlled by the country’s government.

Meanwhile, the country’s media said that the loud explosion was the noise of an unexpected sonic boom after a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jet broke the sound barrier at a high altitude.

Investigation launched

It was not until later on Friday that DG Khan Commissioner’s spokesperson Mazhar Sheerani released a statement confirming that an explosion had taken place and was heard across the city, adding that the “concerned departments have presented an initial report after investigation.”

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The Pakistani official also said there were no reports of terrorism, vandalism, accident or damage as per Rescue 1122, police, sensitive institutions or the public, reported the Dawn.

“There is a strong possibility that the sound barrier of a warship broke, but final confirmation is pending,” said Sheerani.

Similarly, DG Khan Commissioner Nasir Mehmood, said that the noise was likely caused by the “breakage of sound barrier”, adding that such incidents were “normal”.

Bomb blasts in Pakistan

The suspected “sonic boom” comes a week after Pakistan witnessed two suicide bombings – amid a rise of attacks across the country – which had targeted two mosques on the birthday of Prophet Mohammad killing at least 57 people and injuring dozens.

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The first blast took place in a mosque in Mastung city in the country’s southwestern province of Balochistan killing at least 52 people, on Friday (Sep 29). The second attack took place in a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region killing five people.

(With inputs from agencies)

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